Within the next decade the microelectronic industry will require a lithographic process capable of mass-producing integrated circuits with sub-70 nanometer (nm) critical dimensions (see: L. R. Harriott, Materials Today 2, 9 (1999)). This formidable challenge is unlikely to be achieved by evolutionary steps. Moreover, it is uncertain whether photolithography, which constitutes the current paradigm for the microelectronics industry, can withstand these extreme demands in terms of dimension tolerances (10 nm or less) and positioning accuracy (1 nm or less). Extreme UV (EUVL), X-ray (XRL), electron beam (EBL) and ion beam (IBL) lithographies have therefore emerged as more promising candidates for next generation nanofabrication than standard photolithographies, because the shorter the radiation wavelength employed in the lithographic process, the finer the theoretical resolution. R. L. Brainard, G. G. Barclay, E. H. Anderson and L. E. Ocola, Microelec. Engineering 1, 2002.
In order to fully exploit these next generation, sub-100 nm lithographic exposure tools, it is essential to develop compatible, next generation resists—that is, imaging or recording media—that are capable of accommodating the higher resolutions these new exposure tools provide. Such a resist material would need to achieve high contrast, high resolution and high plasma etch resistance for pattern transfer to a substrate. Further, this combination of high contrast and high resolution necessary for sub-100 nm processes must be combined with high resist sensitivity for high throughput applications.
One example of the disparity between state-of-the-art exposure tools and presently available recording media is seen in electron beam lithography. Although instrumentation for electron beam exposure is capable of sub-100 nm resolution, current resists for recording these exposure patterns suffer from electron proximity effects, which result in resist degradation well beyond the area of actual exposure. Accordingly, this invention provides not only new resists for electron beam lithography, but also new resists adaptable to many short wavelength lithographic methods for higher-resolution, next generation nanofabrication.